If the moon caught your eye last night, you weren’t alone — it appeared full, hung low in the sky, and in some areas, glowed with a soft pink hue.
This was June’s Strawberry Moon, a name tied not to its color, but to the seasonal ripening of strawberries in June.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the moon reached its peak brightness at 3:44 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
In certain parts of the world, the moon took on a reddish-pink tint, caused by its low position on the horizon and the scattering of light through the thickest layers of Earth’s atmosphere. This stunning effect was seen in places like New York City, Florida, the U.K., and Cyprus.
Last night’s lunar display was more than just beautiful — it was historic. The full moon appeared at its lowest point in the sky for observers in the Northern Hemisphere, a rare alignment that won’t occur again until 2043.
The name “Strawberry Moon” comes from Native American traditions, particularly those of the Algonquin tribes in the Northeastern U.S., as well as the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. The term marks the time when strawberries reach peak ripeness and are ready to be harvested.
Other Indigenous cultures have their own names for the June full moon, including “Birth Moon” and “Hatching Moon,” recognizing a season of new life in the animal world. In Europe, it has also been called the “Honey Moon” or associated with “Mead Month,” as June was historically a favored time for weddings and celebrations.
